Welcome to Mystery
by Jemima947
Summary: Crossover-AMA/Alice 2010.
1. Chapter 1

A cold wind gusted through the streets of London, causing Alice Kingsleigh to pull her coat closer around her. Due to the cold, the usually packed streets were rather empty, save for a few people, most likely walking home from various appointments and obligations. Alice knew she should be at home, celebrating her return from China, but she could find little to celebrate. Ever since she'd left Underland, things had taken a turn for the worse. They'd begun to look better right after, when she'd rejected Hamish's proposal and became an apperentice with her father's company, but things had become dark quickly. The men working with Lord Ascot had all but forced her to go back to London, and after mere days aboard the _Wonder_, Alice had decided to return. Lord Ascot had gotten another boat to take her back, and just a few hours ago, she'd returned. Her mother had hosted a grand party, which Alice had little interest in. However, it was at that party that Helen Kingsleigh had made an announcement. Her daughter was to marry Hamish Ascot, not matter what she wanted. Not knowing what to do, and feeling utterly trapped, Alice had ran out of the ballroom, out of the house and onto the streets of London.

Of course, all that she'd been through just made her miss Underland even more. This world wasn't for her, she knew that now. However, she couldn't go back. Alice brushed away a tear as she remembered. When they'd arrived at the Ascot Mansion, she'd gone off to find the rabbit hole. An empty patch of land had greeted her, as if the doorway to Underland had never existed. She sighed, letting the feelings of despair come now. Alice had repressed them for the party, but now they came in a storm. Glancing over, she looked into a store window nearby. Of course, she would have looked into a hatter's store. Her heart ached, and she smiled sadly, looking at the top hat in the center of the display. So distracted was Alice, she didn't see the person walking towards her. The two collided, the other girl dropping something.

"Sorry," Alice said quickly, bending down to pick up the package that had tumbled out of the girl's arms. The girl had also bent down and as Alice looked up, their eyes met. Alice had to repress a shudder. There was something about the other girl's gaze, something haunted and eerie. The girl just narrowed her green eyes and held out her hand.

"I believe that's mine," she said, quietly.

"Right..." Alice handed the package to her, looking at the girl more closely. She was a brunette, with extremely pale skin (even paler than hers, and that was saying something). A strange pendant dangled from a chain around her neck, in the shape of the Greek letter Omega. Although she was rather plain looking to the everyday passer by, there was something odd about her. Something that reminded Alice of Underland. She was very close to asking her if she knew about it, but couldn't. The girl probably didn't, and would think Alice completely insane. Even now, the girl was walking away.

"Wait!" Alice shouted before she could stop herself.

The girl turned, looking rather irritated. Alice suddenly found herself wishing she hadn't called out to her.

"...What's your name?" she finally said, lamely. Mentally, she scolded herself. Did she really think that this girl knew something of Underland?

"Alice," the girl said, with an air of indifference, eyeing Alice suspiciously. Of course, people you bumped into didn't normally ask for your name. "Yours?"

Well, this was going to sound bizarre. "Alice..."

"That's odd," the other Alice said, sounding completely uninterested, and began walking away again.

Alice Kingsleigh resisted the urge to call out to her again. This girl was simply too similar to her!

Suddenly, the other Alice turned around. Perhaps she noticed the same connection?

"You haven't heard of a Wonderland, have you?"

Alice froze as she was about to turn around. Wonderland...

"I have..." she breathed, turning to face the other girl.

"Come with me."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

Her head spinning, Alice followed the girl through the streets. Questions ran through her mind, but one was the most prominent. _How did this girl know about Underland?_ As far as Alice knew, she was the only one to have fallen down the rabbit hole. Had McTwisp bought her as one of the "wrong Alices"? That was another curiousity, the girl's name. Was there a reason that there was another Alice who'd been to Underland? And why was she calling it Wonderland? Trying to concentrate on not bumping into anyone on the crowded street, she followed the other Alice to wherever she was taking her.

A few minutes later, the two girls sat across from each other, in a small, out of the way teashop that Alice had led them too. It was completely empty, seeing as the owner was in the back room, getting their drinks, and there were no other customers. It was perfect for the type of conversation that they wanted to have, for if they'd talked of Wonderland in public, they would have most likely been deemed insane.

For the first time, Alice looked her over, taking in other details that she had missed upon their first meeting. Her clothes were quite simple, a dark blue dress with an apron over it. She was most likely of a lower class than Alice, but that didn't bother her at all. Again, she examined her brilliant green eyes, which still had that permanent haunted look about them. She looked away, repressing a shudder. What could have possibley happened to make her gaze so eeire? Another look revealed that the girl's body build was quite odd as well. It was as if Alice had just started eating after not having done so for quite awhile.

"How do you know about Wonderland?" The silence was finally broken when the girl decided to speak. Bought out of her thoughts, Alice looked up.

"When I was young, I fell down the rabbit hole and arrived there," she explained, keeping her voice low. The owner could come out at any minute, and she wasn't exactly willing to tell him why she was talking about a fantasy realm. "And, I went back again a year ago."

Alice nodded, listening intently to everything Alice Kingsleigh was saying. "Odd..." she murmered to herself. "I've been there twice as well."

"So, you must know how to get back?" Alice asked hopefully. Underland seemed to be the only place she could escape to now, what with her mother's sudden interferance in her life. Of course, she didn't want to worry anyone with a sudden disappearance. But, could she return to the party? If she did, she might be trapped in the manor, unable to leave and talk to this girl. She knew that her mother wouldn't approve of Alice being acquainted with a girl who was of lower class than her. She didn't care. Perhaps if they went back, she could send McTwisp up with a letter for her mother-

"No."

"What?"

"No," the other Alice said, her face emotionless. "I don't know how to return. The only two times I went there, I didn't go of my own accord."

Before Alice Kingsleigh could say anything else, the owner of the teashop came out and placed two steaming mugs in front of the girls. As he turned to return to the back fo the shop, he suddenly noticed the other Alice.

"I know you," he said, scrutinizing her face. "Aren't you're that loony that lives with Dr Mason?"

Although her face remained emotionless, Alice Kingsleigh could see Alice's fist clench under the table.

"I can assure you, sir, I have no idea what you're talking about," she said, keeping her voice even. The shopkeeper narrowed his eyes again, but walked back into the other part of the shop. As soon as he was gone, Alice looked at her with curiousity in her eyes.

Alice sighed, seeming to have been wanting to avoid this topic. "You know of Ruthledge's, right?" she asked, wrapping her hands around her tea cup. Alice nodded in response. "Well, after my parents died, I spent nearly ten years there. I don't remember much of it, though. I wasn't really there, you see." Alice Kingsleigh nodded again, sipping her own tea and listening intently. "I was in Wonderland most of the time. You see, Wonderland is nether real nor imaginary. It seems to be a different...how should I put this...plain of existance. It is formed around your own emotions and mentality. It's quite hard to describe. When you were there, were you dealing with some sort of issue or issues?"

She nodded. "Yes, I'd just run away from my own engagement party. The man they were trying to make me marry was horrible, you see, and it was practically an arranged marriage. I don't like being controlled like that."

Finishing her drink, Alice nodded knowingly. "Now, we must leave. The shop owner will have seen me here..."

"Why don't you want to be seen?"

Alice glanced left and right, before leaning in and lowering her voice. "I overheard my doctor speaking with someone earlier today. They want to send me back to the asylum because I was talking about Wonderland. I didn't want too, but my doctor hypnotized me and I had no idea what I was doing or saying while I was under hypnosis."

Before either girl could say anything else, twin flashes of white caught their eyes. They both whirled, but saw only the large looking-glass in the corner. Suddenly, two white blurs shot out of the glass and stopped in the center of the room.

"McTwisp?"

"Rabbit?"

The two girls looked at each other then back to the waist coat wearing rabbits. Impatiently, McTwisp raised his pocket watch and tapped it, signalling that both Alices were quite late indeed. With that, both rabbits disappeared into the glass. Cautiously, Alice Kingsleigh approached the mirror, pressing her hand against it. She found that if she applied the right pressure, her hand slipped through. She gestured for the other Alice to join her and together, they went through the looking-glass and into Underland.


	3. Chapter 3

The two girls stepped out into the Garden of Flowers, which was quite the contrast to the world they'd just left. Here, it was sunny and warm, as opposed to cold, dreary England. Alice Kingsleigh looked around, smiling as she recognized where they were. "We really did go back..." she said, in wonder. As sunny as the Garden was, there was something off in the air, a heaviness that Alice Kingsleigh had only experianced once, in the time of the Red Queen. However, she shook it off, blaming her imagination. The Garden, it seemed, was slowly returning to its previous state. However, the flowers weren't speaking, as they should have been. How odd.

She glanced over at the other Alice, who actually seemed a little confused as to where they were. "Haven't you been here before?" she asked, becoming bewildered herself.

"No...I don't recognize this at all..."

"I thought you said you'd been here before," Alice Kingsleigh tilted her head a little, trying to figure out why the girl was unfamiliar with her surroundings. Perhaps the rabbit hole had dropped her off in a different place?

It was then that she noticed something strange about Alice. Her dress had changed, the sleeves becoming shorter and puffier. The apron now had pockets, which where decorated with strange symbols. Alice Kingsleigh peered more closely at the apron, suddenly noticing something rather alarming.

"...are those bloodstains?" she asked, looking at the red splatters on Alice's dress.

"Well, well," a purring voice said, before Alice could respond. "What do we have here...?"

Alice Kingsleigh whirled around, just in time to see a grin appear, hovering over a tree branch nearby. However, it wasn't Chessur that materialized, but a skeletal brown cat, lounging lazily on the branch and grinning down at both of them. It's body was decorated with black tattoos, and its tail had a tuft at the end, like a lions. It grinned smugly at the two girls, before climbing down from the tree to approach them.

"C-Chessur?" Alice finally gasped, still a little shocked by the cat's apperance.

The cat chuckled. "No, Miss Kingsleigh, I am not of your Wonderland, but of Miss Liddell's." For a moment, Alice was confused, but suddenly realized that the cat was talking about the other Alice, who had come up behind her.

"Hello, Cat," she said, giving the creature the smallest of smiles.

The Cat dipped his head, still grinning. "Alice," he greeted simply.

"Cat," For that was obviously what the creature answered too. "What do you mean by my Wonderland?" Alice Kingsleigh knelt down to speak with him.

"Have you not figured it out yourself?" Cat purred, now sitting in front of both. "In both of your absences, Underland and Wonderland have merged, creating the world you have just entered."

The two girls looked at each other, slightly nervous. Up until now, neither had been aware that their Wonderlands were seperate worlds. Suddenly, Cat's notched ears pricked, making the earring in the left one flash in the sunlight. "I shall explain later. Now, we must be moving. Their spies are everywhere. Gryphon will take you from here."

And with that, Cat vanished. Out the nearby forest, a rather bizarre creature emerged into the patch of sunlight. Alice Kingsleigh had never seen anything like it before. The creature, which she took to be Gryphon, seemed to be a combination of a lion and some bird of prey. "Lady Kingsleigh, Lady Liddell," he, for the voice coming from Gryphon was obviously male, greeted, with a dip of his head.

"Gryphon," Alice replied, smirking a little at the confused look on Alice Kingsleigh's face. Gryphon knelt to allow the two girls onto his back. Nerviously, Alice Kingsleigh climbed aboard, settling herself behind the other Alice. Without warning, or at least it seemed that was to Alice Kingsleigh, Gryphon reared and took off down a stretch of flat land. Alice screamed in alarm, having no choice but to grab on to the girl in front of her. The other Alice shot her a dirty look, but said nothing. In seconds, Gryphon's wings had snapped out and they were soaring over all of Underland. After she'd gotten over her shock, Alice found that she was able to enjoy the flight. She began to recognize landmarks, such as Marmoreal, the Red Desert and the Hatter's Windmill. Her heart gave an excited leap as she caught sight of the last place. "Where are we going?" she asked Gryphon, suddenly realizing that she had no idea what their destination was.

"To the Pale Realm. The Underland Ungerground Resistance has their base there."

"The Resistance?" Alice was quite confused. "I thought there was no need of the Resistance now that the Red Queen was gone." She paused. "And what is the Pale Realm?"

Gryphon remained silent, but Alice Liddell turned around to talk to her. "The Pale Realm is the home of the White Queen and King. It's like a giant chessboard, with bess pieces living on it," she explained. "Now, could you please let go of me?" Looking down, Alice realized that she still had a grip on the girl's waist. Immediatly, she pulled her arms away.

The description of the Pale Realm was extremely odd. Mirana wasn't a living chess piece, so why had Alice mentioned a White Queen? Oh yes, Underland and Wonderland. It was all so utterly confusing. Perhaps a discussion with some familiar faces would help her to understand better.

All too soon, Gryphon descended, plumetting down onto what looked like a land made entirely out of a chessboard. He landed in a courtyard, his talons clicking on the stone, checkerboarded floor. Gryphon knelt again, allowing the girls to slip off his back. "I'll take you inside," he said, and began to talk away with both Alices following behind. They entered a huge castle, and were taken to the lower levels. Gryphon raised a taloned claw, and knocked once, then twice on the door. It swung open, and immediatly, cries of "Alice!" echoed around the chamber.

Alice Kingsleigh broke away from Gryphon and the other Alice to greet her friends. She grinned broadly as they all approached. Mallymkun, Thackery, McTwisp, all were present save for the Queen and Tarrant.

"Mally?" Alice knelt to talk with the tiny Dormouse. "Where's Tarrant?"

" 'e's off doin' somethin' with Mirana, 'e'll be 'ere soon," Mallymkun gave the girl a comforting smile. Alice was quite glad that there was no more hostility between the two of them. Mally had been quite angry with Alice during their last encounter, mostly for "stealing" Tarrant, but she seemed to have mellowed out in her absence.

Alice glanced over to see the other Alice greeting a rather similar cast of residents from her Wonderland. A mechanical Dormouse and Hare, and, to her surpise, a Hatter. Alice Liddell greeted this last person with caution at first, but then warmly. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to provoke the caution.

"Alice."

She jumped, looking around to see her own Hatter, standing in the doorway behind her. "Tarrant!" she cried happily, running into his arms and almost knocking him over. He laughed, hugging her tightly.

"You're back," he grinned, showing the gap between his front teeth.

Alice nodded in reply. "To stay."

Before the two could continue their reunion, they were interrupted by the clearing of a throat. Alice looked over to see a pawn standing there, looking at her solemnly with its one eye. "Lady Kingsleigh? Lady Liddell? The Queens want to speak with you."

Both girls glanced at each other from across the room. Of course, this would be the explaination. "Take us to her, then," Alice Kingsleigh said, as the other Alice walked up behind her. The pawn nodded and began to lead the girls deeper into the castle.


	4. Chapter 4

As the doors of the throne room swung open, the pawn led the two girls inside. The room was gigantic, the floor checkerboarded in two different shades of white marble. Above them, a similarly colored celing loomed over their heads. Alice Kingsleigh looked ahead to the two huge thrones that sat in at the end of the long room. There sat Mirana, and a rather beautiful woman, older and more refined looking. On second glace, the woman appeared to be a living chess piece, a White Queen to be exact. So, this was what the other Alice had meant about the Pale Realm's population. Taking her place next to the other girl, Alice Kingsleigh knelt before the two queens.

Mirana stood up from her throne and walked down to greet her Champion. "It's good to see you back, Alice. I suppose you're wondering what's going on." A slightly sad smile came to her lips.

"Yes, your Majesty," Alice replied, standing up.

"Please, Alice, you may call me Mirana in private."

"We're not exactly in private..." Alice said, looking over at the other Alice, who was conversing with the White Queen. "Your Majesty, what's going on? Why have Underland and Wonderland merged? Why is the Resistance reformed?"

Mirana sighed, then gestured for the other two to join them. Alice Liddell took her place next to Alice, also ready to hear why the two worlds had merged.

"Alice, Alice," Mirana adressed both girls. "When you two met, you were both in emotional turmoil, what with you hearing about your...return trip to Ruthledge's," Here, Alice stiffened. Whether it was in fear or anger, Alice Kingsleigh couldn't tell. "And your re-engagement. Seeing as Wonderland and Underland are worlds of your own creation, the two merged when you met, under emotional stress." 

"But, how can that be?" Alice Liddell suddenly interrupted. "We've only met just a few hours ago."

"Ah, but you forget," the Queen said, taking over for Mirana. "That time in Wonderland moves differently from time in the Overland. A few hours in your land is equivilent to days here. 'Tis that tricky fellow Time, meddling in things. One never knows how he's going to affect different worlds."

"But," Alice Kingsleigh said. "Why are we back here?"

"That, my dear, doesn't have a pretty answer," the Queen said, looking rather sorrowful, suddenly. "Have you not wondered why we are not in Marmoreal? Iracebeth has escaped her bansihment, along with Stayne, and..." Here, she looked at Alice Liddell, who had clenched her fist.

"No..." she whispered. "Not her. Please, your Majesty..."

"I'm afraid so, my dear. Iracebeth has been meddling in things she shouldn't be, and has resurrected the Queen of Hearts. And, both Jabberwocks as well. They've been ravaging towns for days now."

"And, I suppose its up to us?" Alice Kingsleigh asked, knowing where this conversation was going. Mirana nodded, walking over to a small pedestal next to her throne. She took a scroll off of it, and Alice recognized it as the Oraculum.

"It hasn't revealed much, but it has showed us this..." she unrolled the parchment, and gestured for the two girls to join her. Peering over her shoudler, Alice Kingsleigh could see an ink drawn image, of her and Alice standing back to back. She was dressed in her armor, holding the Vorpal Sword aloft, while the other Alice was wielding a large, stylized knife, decorated with intricate designs. As the picture moved, the two girls crouched lower, ready for battle against unseen enemies.

Alice Kingsleigh narrowed her eyes, studying the picture more closely. "When is this happening?" she asked, not seeing a banner declaring a date over the image.

"No one is sure..." Mirana said, shaking her head slightly.

"But, that does remind me," the White Queen cut in, motioning for two pawns to bring something forward. They approached, bearing the knife that Alice had been using in the Oraculum's picture. The girl's eyes lit up with recognition and a kind of excitement. Slowly, Alice walked forward and picked up the blade, holding it up and running her hand over the inricate carvings.

"I suppose you'll be needing your weapon as well..." Mirana said to Alice Kingsleigh, again walking over to her throne. She returned, holding the shining silver weapon that was the Vorpal Sword. Taking it from her, Alice gave it a practice swing through the air.

"You may use it however you please, now, seeing as the Frabjous Day has past," Mirana clarified, watching Alice.

Suddenly, the door at the end of the hall burst open, and McTwisp ran up to the thrones, looking extremely frightened.

"Your Majesties!" the Rabbit cried out. "The Red Queen's Army is on the horizon! And...and..." McTwisp looked as though he might faint.

"And what?" Alice Kingsleigh crouched down to speak with him.

"They have the Jabberwocks!" This time McTwisp really did faint, collapsing on the marble floor. The two pawns immediatly rushed forward to revive him.

Alice glanced over at Alice Liddell for a moment, exchanging a nod with her. Drawing the Vorpal Sword, she ran to the front of the castle with Alice followed close behind, gripping her knife tightly. Bursting through into the courtyard, the two were suddenly met with the sight of the Jabberwocks, both Underland's Jabberwocky and Wonderland's Jabberwock, lumbering over a hill nearby, followed by a slew of Card Guards.

The Jabberwocky let out a roar, sending a jet of purple flame into the air. Alice's heart clenched with fear. How had this happened? She'd killed this creature the last time she was here, and yet here it was, baying to the sky. Finally, the monsters were looming over both. Looking over at Alice Liddell, Alice noticed the girl's hands beginning to shake slightly. Whether it was from fear or anger, she couldn't tell.

Her chin shot up as the Jabberwocky lowered its head. Apparently, its tongue had been restored as well, for it began to speak in its deep voice.

"So, insignificant bearer, you have returned." its voice growled. Flaming purple eyes trained on the Vorpal Sword, it lunged, striking like a cobra. Alice ducked, rolling out of the way just in time to avoid the monster's jaws. Not being in armor had its advantages and disadvantages. On on hand, she was more agile and could avoid attacks easily. On the other, her dress didn't provice much protection against the Jabberwocky's fangs. Alice looked over to the other battle taking place, just in time to see Alice Liddell give the Jabberwock a good slash across the side of its face. However, this gave the Jabberwocky enough time to swing its spiked tail into Alice's back. She yelled in pain as one of the spikes lodged itself in her back. Wincing, she struggled to her feet again, wielding the Vorpal Sword with a vengance. However, she didn't seem to be the Jabberwocky's target anymore. The black dragon-creature was now attacking the castle itself. Leaving Alice Liddell to deal with the Jabberwock, she dashed inside, just as the Jabberwocky broke through the stone room of the room that the two Alices had been led into when they first arrived. Finally reaching the room, she found the others trying to fend off the attacking Jabberwocky. Mallymkun was already on the Jabberwocky's head, a spot of white amoungst a sea of black scales. The little Dormouse was attempting to stab the Jabberwocky's eyes out, to no avail. The monster tried again and again to shake her off, but Mallymkun held on tightly. The two Hatters, Tarrant and the Hatter from Wonderland, were likewise attempting to fight the creature. Tarrant swung his claymore with presicion, while the Hatter used his teapot topped cane to smack the Jabberwocky away.

Finally, with a roar, the Jabberwocky bought its tail down on the ground, hard, sending out a shockwave that crumbled the wall and knocked Alice off her feet. She looked up, only to see the Jabberwocky grabbing Tarrant's unconcious body. Alice tried to struggle to her feet, but to no avail. The Jabberwocky had already spread its wings, and it and the Jabberwock were now tiny dots in the sky.

"No!" Alice screamed, running forward. "Tarrant!" Helplessly, she watched as the monster carried him away, towards Salazen Grumm and, most likely, towards death.


	5. Chapter 5

"We're going after him," Alice said, walking past Alice Liddell. The brunette looked confused for a moment, but followed behind, her black boots clicking on the marble floor. Mirana approached the distraught Alice Kingsleigh, who was trying to mask her despair with determination.

"Mirana, the Bandersnatch, where is he?" Alice asked, trying, but failing to keep her voice even.

"Alice, dear..." Mirana tried to place her hand on the girl's shoulder. Alice backed away, for fear that any show of compassion would bring her to tears. "Please...Tarrant will be able to handle himself. He's done so before." She approached the Champion again. "You can't leave now, Alice."

"Why not?" Alice demanded, almost hysterical. "If they bring him there now, they'll start torturing him immediatly! They won't wait until morning!"

"You'll need your rest before you go out on such a journey. The way to Salazen Grumm is a long one and it will take two days for you to reach it, even if you do take the Bandersnatch."

"But, I got there on Bayard in just a few hours!" Alice protested, remembering her journey on the dog's back.

"But you forget, now that Underland and Wonderland are merged, there is much more distance between here and Salazen Grumm. Please, Alice, you must rest." Mirana said, motioning for one of her maids to come forward and escort Alice to her room. Reluctantly, Alice followed, looking at the ground and not meeting anyone's eyes.

"I'm going with her," Alice suddenly spoke up from the doorframe that she'd been listening from.

Mirana smiled at the girl. "Thank you, Miss Liddell. I'm sure she'll appreciate the company." In truth, she'd hoped that someone would want to accompany Alice. Although she was strong, and quite compitent, Mirana was still worried about sending her Champion off to face the Red Queen without any aid. But, now that Alice would be going along with her, Mirana was sure that they'd both be able to slip into Salazen Grumm and free Tarrant without any problem. And, if there was a problem, she had her army to send in a rescue them.

The next morning, Alice Kingsleigh slung a few bags across the Bandersnatch's back. These contained enough food and water for the next two days, and a few changes of clothes. The Vorpal Sword was at its sheath at her hip, ready in case she needed to use it at any time during her trek to Salazen Grumm, and after she arrived. The click of talons behind her made her turn around. Alice Liddell rode up behind her on Gryphon's back, accompanied by Cat. Similar bags to Alice's were hanging from the creatures back, and it was obvious that Alice was going to accompany her. Hmm, Mirana hadn't told her about this. She'd been so desperate the last night that she'd gone right to bed without so much as a word to anyone. However, this morning she was feeling better, and more confident that she and Alice could rescue Tarrant, and bring peace back to Underland. After all, Alice had done it once, and she could do it again.

"Coming?" Alice asked, mounting the Bandersnatch. Reciveing a nod, she set off, the other Alice riding up beside her. Cat padded quietly by Alice Liddell's side, his ear flicking every once in awhile, in search of danger. The day was oddly peaceful, in comparison to what the two were setting off to do. Infiltrating Salazen Grumm's walls was near impossible, but Alice knew that with the help of the other Alice and Cat, they could do it.

The three of them travelled for a good portion of the day, from early morning into early evening. The sun was just about to set when they stopped to make camp. Neither girl had any problems sleeping on the ground for one night, and the air was warm enough so that they wouldn't need anything to cover them. Cat immediatly scaled a tree, settling down on a branch, where his lamplike eyes and grin glimmered slightly in the dusky twilight. Soon enough, they had a small fire going, one that Alice Liddell kept nervously glancing at.

"Something wrong?" Alice Kingsleigh finally asked, after the fifth time this occured.

Alice shook her head, as if dislodging a bad memory. "No...nothing..." Sitting with her back against a tree, she took out the Vorpal Blade and began to clean her nails with it. "Nothing..."

Sighing, Alice Kingsleigh sat down and stared at the fire. She smiled a little, fireplaces always bought back memories of her father, and how he would sit with her on cold winter nights and tell her stories of fantasic realms, and impossible dreams coming true. Alice laughed a little, quietly and to herself.

"What's so funny?" Alice Liddell asked from the shadows.

"Oh, nothing...I was just thinking about my father..." Alice absent mindedly began tracing a finger through the dirt. "When I was little, he used to tell me that he believed in six impossible things before breakfast, it came in useful in the end..." She smiled at the memory, reciting her six impossible things in the face of the Jabberwocky. They'd somehow given her the strength and courage she needed to defeat the creature. The muchness, if you will.

Alice suddenly looked rather sorrowful. "My father was like that too...until..." she paused, fading into uncomfortable silence.

"Until he died..." Alice Kingsleigh finished for her, quietly.

She nodded, not meeting the other girl's eyes.

"Alice...if you don't mind me asking..." Alice's voice was cautious. "How...how did your parents die?"

The other girl closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. After a few moments, she started. "It was one night when I was 8," her voice was quiet, her words rushed as if she'd actually wanted to get this off her chest for a long time. "I was asleep, dreaming about Wonderland. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but a kerosene lamp was knocked over. I woke up, smelling the smoke, and ran to my parent's room. It was already on fire, but I tried to open the door anyway...they told me to run, to get out of the house and safe myself. I tried to save them...I did, but...it...it was too late..." Alice turned her head away, so that Alice Kingsleigh wouldn't see the few tears that managed to escape. After a few moments of silence, she began to speak again.

"I escaped, lying in the snow for hours until the neighbors found me. Doctors were called, and because I was unresponsive, I was pronounced mad, and taken to Ruthledge's. But, I wasn't! I'm not!" Her brilliant green eyes suddenly blazed with an angry fire that hadn't been there a moment ago.

Alice moved closer, trying to calm the girl down. "I was often told that the best people are mad," she said, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

"The best people are?" Alice Liddell turned to glare at her. "Then the best people are tortured!"

"W-what?"

"You have no idea what went on in there, do you?" she growled, starting towards her. "You and your worries about getting married." Her voice became a mocking falsetto. "Ooh, poor me! I have to get married to a wealthy man and live in a big manor with servants at my beck and call! How ever will I survive?" Her gaze was smoldering now, and Alice Kingsleigh had backed up, trying to escape her fury. "You don't know. You've never listened to the screams of the insane at night, have you? Oh no, you fell asleep to the sounds of your home, the voices of your parents! Tell me, Miss Kingsleigh, have you ever felt fear for you life? Fear that one day they might schedule you for a lobotomy, or electroshock therapy?"

"They...they said that was harmless!" Alice protested weakly.

Alice Liddell laughed sardonically. "Oh yes, hooking someone up to a machine and shooting 100 volts of electricity into a person's body. Completely harmless." She was again advancing on a rather frightening look Alice Kingsleigh.

Before anything else could happen, something came bursting through the trees. It was dark, but Alice Kingsleigh could just make out a lumpy body, with large legs that appeared to have eyes on them.

"Jabberspawn!" Alice Liddell drew her Blade, and Alice did the same with her Sword. The Jabberspawn roared menacingly, catching Alice Liddell off guard and managing to knock her to the ground. Just as the creature was about to go in for the final blow, its legs were sudden lobbed off, along with its head. The rest of the body fell, revealing Alice Kingsleigh standing there, holding the glittering Vorpal Sword. Placing the Sword back in its sheath, Alice walked over and held out her hand to help the other girl up.

"Are you alright?" she asked, looking her over.

Alice nodded. "I'm...I'm fine..." she said, a little disbelieveingly. After a moment, she let out a small 'heh' of laughter. "You're quite handy with that..."

She smiled. "Thanks..." There was an awkward silence. "I'm sorry," Alice Kingsleigh broke it after a moment. "I didn't know what I was saying..."

A sigh. "It's alright, I suppose...it's...a touchy subject..."

"I know." Alice Kingsleigh turned back to the fire, which had died down a little. "We best get some sleep. We'll need it tomorrow."

"Right."

Cat watched from his perch as the two girls laid down close to the fire, and drifted off to sleep. "Sleep well, Champions..." he purred, half to himself. "Tomorrow, we arrive at Salazen Grumm."


	6. Chapter 6

The following day, a little ways into late morning, Alice Kingsleigh and Alice Liddell stood on a hill over looking Salazen Grumm. Iracebeth's palace had also changed, due the the merging of Underland and Wonderland. It's appearance was now more organic, as if the castle were alive, rather than just a building. Tentacles protruded from the walls, moving slowly along the grounds of the castle, guarding it from intruders. Alice Kingsleigh tightened her grip on the Bandersnatch's fur. This was going to be harder than she'd thought.

"What's our plan of action?" Alice Liddell suddenly spoke up, also looking at the castle.

"When the path is problematical, consider a leap of faith," Cat remarked, stretching his emaciated form and cracking his neck.

"You want us to just go charging up there?" Alice Kingsleigh asked, incredulously.

"For every task, there's a proper tool, sometimes more than one."

"Spare us the riddles, Cat!" Alice Liddel said, frustrated. "What do you want us to do?"

Cat sighed, obviously knowing that the two were growing tired with this game. "To get to the Castle, you must first past the Maze. Within, your enemies cannot perish, only disappear for a certain amount of time. I would reccomend only fighting those you have need to. Once at the castle...well, let's hope the door is open."

Alice smirked a little. "And if not, there may be more than one way to skin a cat, if you'll pardon the expression."

Cat's grinned widened slighly, and Alice Kingsleigh could tell that this was a oft played, well loved game between the two. "A most unpleasent metaphor, please avoid it in the future." With that, he vanished, and Alice Liddell felt a sudden pressure on her shoulder, as the invisible Cat laid down on them.

"Ready?" Alice Kingsleigh asked, sliding off the Bandersnatch. They would have to go on foot if they wanted to be stealthy.

Alice nodded in return, jumping down from Gryphon's back. "My thanks, Gryphon. Let Mirana and the Queen know of our safety when you return."

"As you wish, Lady Liddell," Gryphon bowed, before setting off back to the Pale Realm. The Bandersnatch would be enough for all three of them to use as transportation after they rescued Tarrant.

With an air of determination, Alice drew the Vorpal Sword, and set off towards the enterance of the maze, followed closely by Alice Liddell. As the maze came into sight, so did the two Card Guards standing in front, guarding the enterance. Alice Kingsleigh nearly gasped at the sight of them. What had once been neatly armored Red Knights were now changed into horrible, twisted creatures. Bits of metal stuck out of the paper-like skin, as if they'd been welded on, and their faces were corpse-like and grotesque, skulls with bits of flesh rotting off them.

"The Guards lack imagination," Cat's voice purred from Alice's shoulders. "Don't play with them unless you're ready to deal."

The Guard's heads snapped toward the sound, and the two girls found themselves staring into hideous, black eye sockets. Drawing their weapons, each took a Guard for themselves. Alice Kingsleigh's swung his spear at her, but she blocked it, kicking him backwards. Caught off balance, the Guard stumbled, giving Alice just enough time to slash him in half. "Agh!" she let out a cry as blood seeped from the Guard's body. She'd never known Red Knights to bleed. Alice Liddell seemed utterly unphazed, however, as she decapitated her own.

"Well, if they're all that easy, then I suppose this won't be much of a challenge..." Alice Kingsleigh said, cleaning the blood off of her Sword. "Come on, we best move on, in case they come back."

Running into the maze, Alice kept the Sword out of its sheath, chopping through enemies that stood in her way. There was really no tiem for them to stay for a number of one on one fights, so the two merely ran, swinging their blades with acuracy, and killing Card Guard after Card Guard. The maze twisted on and on, seemingly endless, before finally opening onto a huge door, the enterance to Salazen Grumm. The two looked at each other, wondering what to do next. Suddenly, a pair of Card Guards began running toward them, brandishing spears.

"Try and open it!" Alice Liddell whirled, wielding her knife. Running towards the Guards, she was immediatly engaged in a 2 on 1 battle. Alice Kingsleigh quickly ran to the door, trying to shove it open. It wouldn't give, no matter how hard she tried. With a frustrated scream, she shoved it one final time. Nothing. Alice looked over just in time to see Alice Liddell twist the shoulders of one of the Card Guards, breaking his spine. A sickening 'crack' echoed around the maze, and the Guard fell, dead. The other was already lying on the ground, covered in knife wounds. Alice herself had a gash down her arm, most likely from one of their spears.

"I'll be fine," she said, noticing Alice Kingsleigh's worried expression. "Did you get the door open?"

Alice shook her head. "It's locked."

Taking out the Vorpal Blade again, Alice grabbed the huge padlock on the door, beginning to try and pick the lock. Jamming it into the keyhole, she moved the blade back and forth, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Well, well...what _have_ we here?" 

Alice Kingsleigh froze. That voice...

"The Champion of Underland and her crazy little friend."

"Stayne." Alice drew the Vorpal Blade, turning to face the Knave of Hearts sauntering towards them. He'd remained completely unchanged by the merging, as the others had, and had apparently regained the good graces of Iracebeth.

Stayne smirked. "Seize them," he said, in a perfectly calm voice.

Card Guards sprang from the bushes, grabbing both girls before they even had a chance to react. Alice Kingsleigh struggled in their grip as Stayne walked forward, grabbing both Vorpal weapons. "Dispose of them."

~

The Cards dragged their struggling prisoners into the dungeoun, throwing them roughly into a cell to wait for the Knave to return. Alice Liddell had felt the weight of the Cheshire Cat leave her shoulders, as he vanished to retrieve help.

They didn't have long to wait. After a few minutes, Stayne arrived in the dungeoun, quietly giving quiet orders to the Card Guards who were keeping watch over the cell. Alice Kingsleigh felt her heart clench in fear as the Knave handed the Card Guards two vials of horribly familiar purple liquid. "Oh no..."

Alice tried as hard as she could to evade the guards when they entered hers and Alice Liddell's cell. Kicking and screaming, she was forced to her knees, along with Alice, and the vial of Jabberwocky blood was held to her lips. Pressing her lips together, Alice Kingsleigh tried as hard as she could to prevent the blood from passing into her mouth, but the Guards forced her to drink it, and from the sound of the angry screams to her right, they'd forced Alice Liddell as well.

The dungeoun swirled before her eyes, and then, everything went black.


	7. Chapter 7

The rain was the first thing that Alice Kingsleigh became aware of when she awoke. Blinking, she sat up, only to see the other Alice lying nearby. Her dress had changed back to its normal state, the sleeves going to her elbows and the symbols gone from her apron pocket. In time, she too stirred and awoke.

"...Alice?" she said, groggily, looking around. "Where are we?"

Looking around, Alice took notice of their surroudings. A perfectly manicured lawn, and a maze of hedges nearby told her that they were on the Ascot lawn, right where the rabbit hole had been. Although few days had passed in Underland, it seemed that only a few hours had gone by. And that meant they would be looking for her.

"We're at the Ascot manor..." she told Alice. "That's the...the place I ran from. Come on, we have to find the Looking Glass again!" Alice stood, helping the other girl to her feet. Overhead, the sky was dark and drab with rainclouds, such a difference from the sunny one they'd just left behind.

"Alice, dear?"

Whirling around, Alice was suddenly face to face with Lord Ascot, and a search party, all holding lanterns. Unfortunatly, one of these men was Hamish, who was looking quite pleased indeed.

"Alice...what happened?" Lord Ascot walked towards her. "Who is this?" He looked at Alice Liddell.

"I know her!" Hamish said, walking forward with a sneer directed towards Alice Liddel. She glared defiantly back at him. "She's that one they're all looking for! The lunatic! Quickly, someone call the police! Get her away from Alice!"

With that, Hamish took Alice Kingsleigh in his arms, while she struggled. "Let me go!" she cried. In a fury, Alice Liddell ran forward to free her friend, tearing at Hamish's arms.

"Get this maniac away from me!" Hamish fought back against Alice, until she was restrained by a few of the men in the search party.

"Someone call the asylum!"

"No!" Alice Kingsleigh fought to break free. "Hamish, let her go!"

"Did that loony harm you, Alice? There's no need to be afraid anymore. She's going to a place that she'll never get out of." Hamish was obviously trying and failing to be soothing.

"No, Hamish, you don't understa-!"

"Hush now, you're safe. Maid! Bring Miss Kingsleigh a hot cup of tea, she's had quite a fright."

"No, let me go!" She struggled again, looking back to see doctors beginning to approach a frightened Alice Liddell, still being held back by the search party. Something silver flashed in the dark, and Alice fell limp in the men's arms.

"Alice!" No matter how hard she struggled, it was to no avail. Hamish and the maid led Alice back into the manor, convinced that her sobbing and screaming were all because that lunatic had done something to her. There was no telling what it was, the insane were highly unpredictable.

~

Alice Liddell awoke in the back of some sort of cart, somewhat disoriented and trying to figure out what was going on. Attempting to move her arms, she found that, to her horror, she'd been put in a straightjacket. Thunder concealed her scream as she fought to free herself. Of course, it was in vain. Looking out the barred windows, lighting briefly illuminated the wrought iron gates, and the building Alice had hoped to never see again.

_Ruthledge Asylum_

The cart stopped and orderlies immediatly swarmed to the back, trying to force the struggling Alice onto a stretcher. She fought and screamed as best she could, but it was all in vain. She was strapped down on the stretcher and was bought into the asylum.

Immediatly, Alice's eyes were assaulted with a sea of white, broken only by curtains of pale green. She continued to struggled, making it hard for the orderlies to bring her in. And yet, there was nothing too horrible about this room, nothing to make her want to scream as if she were being tortured. Of course, it was quite sterile looking, and very white, but nothing to bring about those horrible screams, was there?

Passing through a few rooms similiar to this, they finally arrived at the bowels of the asylum. It was here that Alice struggled harder than she had before, and with good reason. The once white, clean walls had become dingy and covered in handprints, some of which were in a red hue that looked suspiciously like blood. A cockroach skittered by one of the nurses feet, prompting her to stomp on the creature and kick its crumpled corpse to the side. In the air, the screams and moan of the terminally insane echoed across the halls. A man, recently lobotomized, wandered aimlessly by, taking a swing at the girl on the stretcher. Alice flinched away, expecting the man's fist to collide with the side of her face. But it never came. Instead mad laughter rang through the halls as a pair of burly nurses subdued the man, dragging him back into his cell.

Soon, they arrived at Alice's cell. It was as simple and drab as the others, mere a gray stone room with a bed, and a single window with bars over it. Alice was uncerimously rolled from the stretcher onto the bed and left alone in the room. It could have been the cell she'd been in the las time, Alice wouldn't have been able to tell. Rolling over to face the door, Alice curled up as best she could and began to quietly cry to herself. Hours passed, and rain continued to patter on the glass behind her. The thunder and lightining had ceased, but the rain continued on, adding to the atmosphere.

"Alice!"

Alice looked up as someone hissed her name from behind her. But...the only thing behind her was the window...

"Alice!"

Louder this time. The brunette whirled on the bed, an awfully hard feat when one is wearing a straightjacket, only to see Alice Kingsleigh's face in the window, looking at her earnestly. She held her finger to her lips and took a hairpin out of her hair, picking up the heavy padlock that kept the window shut. In seconds, the lock was open and Alice was helping Alice Liddell out of the window.

"Hold still," Alice Kingsleigh ordered her, fiddling with the many buckles that kept the girl restrained. Finally, she was free.

"How...how..." Alice gaped, unable to form sentances and still in shock that Alice Kingsleigh was even here.

"I had help," Alice Kingsleigh looked over her shoulder at something. Peering around her, Alice saw Gryphon step out of the trees. As he approached, Alice ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and crying into his feathers. Reaching up a taloned claw, he placed in somewhat awkwardly on her back.

"There, there, Lady Alice..." he said, not really sure how to react. Of course, Alice would be relieved to see whoever had come to rescue her, but Gryphon obviously hadn't expected something like this.

Alice Kingleigh placed her hand on Alice Liddell's shoulder, and the girl turned around to face her. "Ready to go?"

"Go? Where?"

"Wonderland." Alice Kingsleigh grinned. To her suprise, she got an actual smile in return, albeit a shaky one.

"Let's go."

Soon enough, the two girls were airbone on Gryphon's back, feeling the rain and wind rushing past them. To Alice Kingsleigh's suprise, she actually heard Alice Liddell laugh as they were flying. It was a rusty sound, rapsy from disuse, but a laugh nonetheless. Alice smiled to herself, proud of all she'd done. Now all they needed to do was return to Underland. But how...

Gryphon answered that question. After a few minutes of just flying around and letting both girls enjoy their freedom, he soared higher and higher into the sky, London becoming a series of lights below. Then, without warning, he plunged, headed straight for the ground. Both screamed, clinging to Gryphon's feathers. But, a hole opened just before the creature hit the ground, closing up just as the tip of his lion's tail was swallowed by the hole. Alice Kingsleigh shut her eyes, and before she knew it, they were once again, soaring over Underland, with Marmoreal coming closer and closer on the horizon.


	8. Chapter 8

In what seemed to be only moments, Gryphon landed in the courtyard of Marmoreal. A trumpet blared somewhere and Alice Kingsleigh looked up towards the turrets to see McTwisp holding his signature instrument, announcing their arrival. Almost immediatly, all of Underland and Wonderland was rushing out to greet their Champions. Cries of 'Alice!' echoed around the courtyard, as they had when the two girls had first arrived at the White Castle in the Pale Realm.

The Pale Realm...Alice Kingsleigh felt her heart sink. The chessboard land was probably destroyed now, thanks to the Jabberwocky. No matter, they could always rebuild once this whole mess was sorted out. _If_ this whole mess was sorted out. No, no, she couldn't think like that. Suddenly, Alice felt someone pull her aside. She whirled to see Mirana looking at her rather solemnly.

"What is it?" Alice asked, glancing over her shoulder. She caught Alice Liddell's eye and gestured for her to join them. Obviously, Mirana wanted them both to hear what she had to say.

As the other girl joined the group, Mirana sighed. "Tarrant is slated for execution this evening," the Queen said, rather quickly.

"No!" Alice Kingsleigh felt her fist clench in frustration. Damn Stayne! If the Knave hadn't captured them, they wouldn't be in this horrible mess. "Isn't there anything we can do?" Of course there wasn't. It had taken days for them to reach Salazen Grumm on foot, and they only had a few hours until nightfall. They couldn't reach the castle in time.

Gryphon walked forward, approaching the group. "I couldn't help overhearing," he said, bowing to both Alices and to Mirana. "I could fly both of you there in time, if we leave now."

Alice Kingsleigh smiled. "Oh, Gryphon, thank you. You've done so much already..."

"It is my honor to serve Underland's Champions," Gryphon said solemnly, dipping his head.

"Alice," Wonderland's White Queen said, moving towards the group. "Before you go, I have some things for you."

Curiously, Alice Liddell followed her with Alice Kingsleigh close behind. They soon came to a large marble table, one which were laid an odd assortment of things. Alice Liddell's eyes lit up with the same recognition and excitement they had when she'd recieved the Vorpal Blade. Alice Kingsleigh walked forward to examine the items. There was a deck of cards, a croquet mallet, a jack-in-the-box, a staff with an ice crystal at the end, a set of jacks, three dice, another staff, Alice shuddered, noting that this one had an eye at the end, a pocket watch and a rather large and bizarre looking gun.

"Are they...weapons?" 

Alice Liddell nodded. "The cards are razor edged, the mallet is a billy club, the jack-in-the-box, or Jackbomb, explodes, both staffs shoot powerful beams, the jacks can be thrown at enemies, the dice summoun demons and the gun...well, I don't think I need to explain that."

"How do you expect the carry all of those?" Alice Kingsleigh asked next. Surely, Alice wasn't planning on taking all of these weapons with them.

"Watch," she took the croquet mallet in her hand. Instantly, it shrunk down to fit in her apron pocket. Alice took it out again, and the mallet grew to its normal size. "They all do that."

Gryphon cleared his throat behind them. "I hate to interrupt, but we should be leaving. It's nearly sunset."

Both girls followed Gryphon out to the courtyard. As with before, he knelt, allowing them onto his back. Letting out a screech, he charged forward, snapping his wings out and taking to the air. Once again, they were soaring over Underland, headed for Salazen Grumm.

The courtyard of the Salazen Grumm was bathed in torchlight, giving it an even more sinister look than usual. Shadows flickered on the faces of the people gathered to witness the execution, all looked solemn in the glow of the torches. The executioner himself stood to the side of the beheading stone, which was already stained with the blood of countless executions, sharpening his axe. On a balcony overlooking the entire courtyard sat the Queens themselves. Iracebeth, with a smirk on her huge face, and the Queen of Hearts, also looking rather smug. Tentacles writhed from her body, each one seeming to have a mind of its own.

The gate at the end of the yard opened, revealing two Card Guards leading Tarrant towards the block. He held himself up with bravery in face of his imminent death, and was roughly shoved onto the block, his neck exposed to the executioner's blade.

"Off with his head!" The combined voices of the Queens rang out from their balcony. Tarrant shut his eyes, waiting for the axe to hit its mark.

However, it never came. Instead gasps ran through the crowd as the light of the moon was blotted out by huge feathery wings. The screech of an eagle echoed around the courtyard as Gryphon descended on the scattering crowd. Alice Kingsleigh and Alice Liddell leapt off, both drawing their Vorpal weapons and holding them aloft, ready for any kind of battle.

"Kill her!" Iracebeth yelled furiously, raising her scepter.

From the shadows of the courtyard, Stayne approached, gripping his black bladed sword tightly. Alice Kingsleigh whirled, looking towards Gryphon and Tarrant, who was still covered with wounds from his torturings, and unable to fight. "Gryphon, take him to Marmoreal!" she ordered, and something in her voice told both of them that Alice wasn't going to be denied. As Gryphon took off with the Hatter on his back, both girls turned to face the Knave, who smirked and raised his sword. Alice and Alice glanced at each other, before assuming 'en garde' positions of their own.

Stayne attacked, swinging his blade at Alice Kingsleigh first. She parried, and he whirled to Alice Liddell, who blocked his jab and attempted a stab of her own. This continued, with their blades moving at a lightning fast pace. All around the courtyard they battled, with Stayne switching his attention between the two girls. Every time one tried to move in on him, he would whirl, but would be exposing himself to the other. After only a few minutes, it was obvious that the Knave was tiring and Alice Kingsleigh and Alice Liddell were only just starting. Finally, he mananged to send the Vorpal Sword clattering across the courtyard, disarming Alice Kingsleigh and leaving her vunerable. Positioning himself between the Sword and Alice, Stayne smirked, advancing on her. Suddenly, something razor edged hit him in the back, and he let out a cry of pain. Alice Liddell stood behind him, holding the deck of cards. The Knave spun around, now approaching Alice and giving Alice Kingsleigh enough time to retrieve her weapon. With a smirk, Alice Liddell pulled out her Jackbomb and hurled it at Stayne. Suprised, the Knave was hit in the stomach with the explosive and quickly realized what it was. Alice and Alice ducked, covering their ears as the Jackbomb exploded, blowing Stayne backwards. He landed, still alive, but badly injured on the other side of the courtyard. Alice Kingsleigh quickly ran to him, pointing the Vorpal Sword at his throat. The subdued Knave glared up at her, his teeth gritted in fury.

In a flash of feathers, Gryphon descended into the courtyard, having finished taking Tarrant back to Marmoreal. "Come, you may deal with him later!" he called to the two girls. Alice Kingsleigh gave Stayne another glare before running towards Gryphon and mounting him with Alice Liddell. Snapping his wings out, Gryphon took to the skies, soaring off towards Marmoreal.

Below, Stayne growled through his teeth. "This isn't over, Champions."


	9. Chapter 9

Bursting through the doors, Alice Kingsleigh immediatly ran to the infirmery, leaving Alice Liddell to explain to the others what had happened. Outside the door, she met Mirana and walked up to her.

"Yes, you can see him," the Queen said, giving her a sad smile. "He's been asking for you."

"Thank you, your Majesty," Alice dipped her head a little.

"How many times must I tell you, Alice? Please, call me Mirana in private."

"Yes, your Ma-Mirana." Alice said hurriedly before opening the door. The infirmery was rather small for a place to hold the sick and injured. It was painted white, and one wall was completely made up of shelves that held different vials and potions that Mirana had created. There was only one bed, and Alice gasped when she saw the occupant.

"Hatter!" She ran to his bedside and clasped his hand, careful not to squeeze his bandaged thumb. "Oh, Tarrant," she stroked his pale forehead. "How're you feeling?"

"Much, much better now that you're here, Alice." His big, green eyes glistened as if he'd been crying. Or perhaps it was just the light. "Stayne was saying such nasty things. Such mean things. Such awful things… Such nasty mean awful things!"

"Tarrant!" She held his face in her hands and looked into his eyes. Alice knew better than anyone else how to calm down the Hatter when he started one of his fits.

He shut his eyes tight and then opened them again. "Things. Said. I'm fine," he wheezed.

A frog in a nurse's outfit came by with a tray of glasses of water. Alice took one and tenderly put it to Tarrant's lips. After he drank, she dabbed at his mouth with a handkerchief. "The Red Queen hurt you enough. No need to go injuring yourself." She gave him a wry smile. "Now, what were these nasty things—"

"Nasty awful things!"

"That were said?"

There was no child-like smile on his face or playful tone in his voice when he spoke. "He said when they caught you, it would be off with your head. Then the Red Queen would see to it you'd be chopped into bits and scattered all across Underland by her Jub Jub Bird."

She had to grimace at this. "Ew… Well, that didn't happen. And as you can see, I'm here now in one piece."

"And I'm rather glad you are! I would have regretted you not being here in one piece. And it's a good piece. It's a great piece. It's a proper Alice piece!" He bobbed his head and his hat fell forward. "Hmm, it's suddenly gotten quite dark," his voice echoed in the cavernous topper. "Like a raven's wing." He turned to Alice, the hat moving with the motion. "Speaking of which, have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?"

Laughing, she lifted the hat off his face. "I'm afraid I still don't have an answer."

"I wish somebody did. It does perplex me so. And when I get perplexed, I start investigating things that begin with letters. Like 'L'. Lilacs, loquacious, luxury, limericks, lunacy, lunatic, loony, lovely, love, lovers, love."

She blushed. "You already said that one."

"Indeed I did! What is the hatter with me? My heart is galumphing like a momrath." He grabbed her hand and put it on his chest. Even after she felt the rapid thumps, neither made a move away from the other.

"You know Alice, I have always admired your muchness. I've missed your…muchness. And now that you're back again I'd very much like you…your muchness to stay here in Underland. With me."

She gasped and her heart was pounding harder than his.

He frowned. "Have I gone mad?"

She thought back to their first meeting, then the second, and the walk through the woods, all the way to him volunteering to fight at her side against the Jabberwocky. After the battle was finished, he was the one who told her she could stay. At the time, she knew she had to leave, that it was the right thing to do. Now she wasn't so sure.

"If you're mad," her throat tightened, "then I must be, too."

He smiled. "All the best people are."

She matched his smile, and for a long while the two remained silent, just enjoying being in one another's prescence. Finally, Mirana stuck her head in, and Alice and Tarrant looked over at her.

"I hate to interrupt," Mirana said quietly, "but it's late and both of you need your rest. Alice, your room is ready for you."

Alice nodded, and turned back to Tarrant. "I'll be here first thing tomorrow, I promise," she told him, squeezing his hand gently.

He nodded. "Fairfarren, Alice."

Walking with Mirana, Alice sighed a little, trying to make sense of what was going on in her head. How could she let herself act this way? She couldn't feel this way...for at the end of this, Alice knew that she would have to return to the Overland. How she was going to face Hamish and the rest of the men was a mystery, but she had to do it. Still...Alice still felt that she couldn't just leave Tarrant again. Her head buzzing with these thoughts, Alice followed Mirana to the room that was prepared for her.

Early the next morning, after her visit with Tarrant, Alice made her way down to one of Marmoreal's training arenas. After her battle with Stayne the day before, and the way he'd disarmed her so easily, Alice felt that she should get some proper training. Up until this point, she'd been relying on instinct rather than knowledge. Luckily, Mirana had been able to get a teacher for her, but hadn't told Alice who it was. So, she was extremely suprised to find Alice Liddell, who was in the process of taking out a training dummy.

"You teach?" Alice Kingsleigh asked, leaning on the railing that surrounded the arena.

"Not really," Alice thrust her Blade into the dummy's chest and drew it out again. "But, Mirana asked me too, so here I am." She smirked at Alice Kingsleigh, who'd learned to translate this into a smile.

Alice opened the gate and drew the Vorpal Sword. "So, where do we start?"

"Hmm..." Alice appeared to be considering what to do next. "We'll try sparring." She held up the Vorpal Blade, assuming an 'en guarde' stance. Alice Kingsleigh did the same, gripping her weapon tightly.

"Good...good...now if I try this," Alice jabbed the Blade towards Alice Kingsleigh's side. She leapt back, and parried, circling around. The two circled each other again, before Alice Kingsleigh lunged. The clang of metal on metal echoed around the arena as their weapons clashed. Alice Liddell counterswiped, but Alice Kingsleigh bought her Sword up to block. "Stay calm," Alice ordered, between attacks and blows. "You'll do something stupid if you're nervous." She whirled, thrusting towards Alice Kingsleigh. She responded by attempting to block, but was too late. Had the two been really fighting, Alice's blade would have left its mark.

"You're off balance," Alice chastised, pausing in her attacks. "Here, try standing like this." She demonstrated, pointing the Vorpal Blade towards an invisible enemy. Alice Kingsleigh did her best to copy her and found that she could move a little easier. Nodding her approval, Alice Liddell circled her, looking for anything that might be wrong. "Hold your arms closer to you," she ordered, and Alice did as she was told. "Good, now-"

"Alice! Alice!"

Both girls turned to see McTwisp running as fast as his legs could carry him towards them. Walking out of the arena, Alice knelt down to speak with him.

"A messenger from Salazen Grumm just arrived to speak with the White Queens. They want you and Miss Liddell to be present for what he has to say."

A few moments later, the two girls found themselves in the throne room of Marmoreal, standing next to their respective rulers. A Red Knight, the messanger from Salazen Grumm, walked forward, approaching the two Queens. Although he'd come on peaceful terms, Alice Kingsleigh and Alice Liddell both kept tight grips on the Blade and Sword, just in case.

The Red Knight made no move to bow. "Queen Iracebeth of Crims and the Queen of Hearts issue a challenge to the residents of Marmoreal, and the Champions of the White Queens."

If possible, Alice Kingsleigh's grip on the Vorpal Sword's hilt tightened even more. She exchanged a glance with Alice Liddell, and then with Mirana and gave a brief nod. The Queen stood, followed by the White Queen. Her voice rang clear through the throne room.

"We accept."


	10. Chapter 10

Clad in her armor, Alice Kingsleigh rode on the Bandersnatch out to where the White Army stood, now a combination of Mirana and the White Queen's forces. Alice Liddell walked by her side, tightly gripping the Vorpal Blade. The soldiers parted to let them though and, together, they made their way to where Mirana, the White Queen, and the rest of their companions stood, ready to march to the Chessfield. As the two approached, Gryphon padded forward to meet them. He was clad in armor, obviously made just for him, that covered his head and back. Bowing his head, Gryphon knelt in front of Alice Liddell. "Lady Alice, if you would allow me?"

Alice nodded and Gryphon knelt, allowing the girl to climb onto his back. Straightening up, he walked forward to stand next to Alice Kingsleigh and the Bandersnatch.

"Ready?" Alice Kingsleigh placed a hand on the hilt of the Vorpal Sword.

Alice narrowed her eyes. "Let's go."

Drawing the Vorpal Sword, Alice Kingsleigh raised it to the sky, with Alice Liddell following immediatly with the Vorpal Blade. A battle cry rose from the assembled soldiers, as spears and other swords were held aloft. With a signal from Mirana, the army marched forward with Alice Kingsleigh and Alice Liddell leading slightly behind Mirana and the Queen. What was a twenty minute journey seemed to take only a fourth of that, and soon, they were one the Chessfield, facing a sea of red. Two thrones were being carried on poles, each bearing either Iracebeth or the Queen of Hearts. Alice Liddell shuddered slightly as the embodiment of her own insanity stared her down, but quickly regained herself. She'd killed her once, and she could do it again.

The weak sunlight was suddenly blotted out by two pairs of wings. The Jabberwock and Jabberwocky soared down, landing behind the Red Queens. Each let out a jet of flame to the sky, obviously trying to intimidate the Champions. Alice Kingsleigh drew her breath, gripping the Bandersnatch's long, spotted fur tightly. The creature growled softly, but otherwise didn't object. After what seemed like an eternity of watching the Red Army approach with the dragon-like creatures behind them, the two armies faced each other on opposing ends of the Chessfield. Her head held high, Mirana glided forward to meet Iracebeth, along with the White Queen. The two Red Queens also stode towards them, and the four Queens met in the center. Nervously, McTwisp blew his trumpet, but a venomous look from the Queen of Hearts sent him scampering back to half stand, half cower behind Rabbit and Thackery. A dead silence fell over the battlefield as the Queens faced each other, red opposing white.

"Iracebeth," Mirana said, her voice indifferent, as opposed to the last time the two had been faced like this. Alice Kingsleigh had a feeling that she now had no remorse or feelings for the woman who'd suceeded, twice now, in taking her throne, and her kingdom.

"Mirana," the steely reply came from the big-headed woman. The two Wonderlandian Queens remained silent as Mirana and Iracebeth spoke, obviously not having personal ties to each other as they did.

"You realize there is no turning back now, sister?" Mirana's voice took on a cold tone as she spoke, especially at the word 'sister'.

Iracebeth narrowed her eyes. "I know." Her tone matched her sister's. Turning to look at Alice Kingsleigh, who had stepped forward along with Alice Liddell, Iracebeth raised her heart topped scepter to point at her. "Off with her head!" she roared, and the battle began.

The two armies charged, colliding in the very center of the Chessfield. Chessman charged towards Card Guards, and the sound of clashing weapons echoed across the battlefield, and the sounds of battle reached nearly to the Tulgey Wood. Both Alice Kingsleigh and Alice Liddell sought out their respective Jabberwocks, while Gryphon and the Bandersnatch ran into the fray, sensing that this was the girls' battle and not theirs.

"Ssso, Champion," the Jabberwocky rumbled in his deep voice, towering high over Alice Kingsleigh. "You have returned yet again. And you bear the Vorpal One." It's flaming purple eyes were suddenly trained on the shining sword. Alice flinched back a little, but glared definatly up at the monster.

"It took quite a long time for you to return..." the Jabberwock growled, flexing its mechanical wings. "Have you no idea what happened while you were gone? Or where you too busy having your bit of fun in your travels?" The dragon-monster's voice now had a mocking tone in it. "You didn't care that you had people waiting here for you, did you?" Now, he was putting on a falsetto, obviously trying to imitate Alice herself. "_Be back again before you know it_...pah! Had it not been for this," Here, the Jabberwock turned to face Alice Liddell, who tensed, obviously waiting for the half automaton creature to attack. "This unnatural _thing_, you wouldn't have ever returned to this place."

Now, the monster laughed sardonically. "And what of your precious Tarrant? Have you any idea what happened to him after you, you, the only thing that he had left to hope for, vanished before his eyes?" The Jabberwock's eyes narrowed, as if it were grinning maliciously. "He went _mad_. Madder than usual, and not the..._good_ sort. All because of you."

Alice Kingsleigh merely stood agape, trembling with mixed feelings of guilt, angry and fear. "No...no, that's not possible! He was at the castle when I-"

"When you arrived?" Now the Jabberwocky was advancing. "Foolish bearer, had you not considered that he might have known by then? You truely are as stupid as that Caterpillar makes you out to be."

"And as for _you_," the Jabberwock whirled on Alice Liddell, who again tensed, and seemed to tremble slightly under the half creature's gaze. He chuckled evily. "You and your pathetic attempts to regain your sanity." He began to circle her, every once in awhile letting a small tongue of flame come ever so close to scorching her. Alice shied away from each one, beginning to look fearful. "You thought you could drive us away, did you? Ha. A weak little thing like you drive away your guilt and insanity?" A jet of fire grazed Alice's exposed arm, making her jump back and cry out in pain. "And what of the events that bought you here? Did you really think you could overcome your guilt? How foolish." It laughed maliciously again, revelling in causing Alice pain. "If you hadn't been dreaming in your little Wonderland, you might have saved them. But you didn't, you selfish girl, you were more concerned with saving yourself, rather then the lives of your family!"

The Jabberwock suddenly blew a huge jet of fire, letting it circle around Alice Liddell. The girl backed up, her eyes widening with fear as the inferno surrounded her. From outside, she could see the shadows of Alice Kingsleigh and her Jabberwocky battling it out, the black dragon-creature using its long neck to strike like a cobra. The Vorpal Sword glittered in the firelight as Alice swung it, defending herself against the Jabberwocky's huge fangs. A roar bought Alice Liddell's attention back to her own Jabberwock, who was now emerging from the flames, looking absolutly terrifying.

Summouning all of her courage, Alice drew the Vorpal Blade, and stared the Jabberwock down. As he approached, she threw the knife into his shoulder. Caught off guard, the Jabberwock roared in pain before sneering and ripping the Blade from his flesh. It clattered the ground, and Alice whipped out the Blunderbuss, firing straight for the Jabberwock's throat. He ducked, whacking the bullet away with his whiplike tail. However, this only caused him to sustain more injuries, to lose more blood.

Frustrated, Alice exchanged the gun for the Blade again, but just as she was about to throw it, the Jabberwock's bleeding tail caught her across the chest, sending her flying. She landed too close to the flames, and her arm was clipped up them, creating a long burn. Alice cried out in pain, jerking back before the fire could spread to her clothes. With a growl, she drew the Eyestaff and aimed it for the lunging Jabberwock. The end glowed a bright purple and a powerful beam shot out of it, blasting right through the Jabberwock's stomach. The half automaton howled in pain, before bursting into flames. Alice ducked, as the Jabberwock's body practically exploded, his blood spattering on the ground around it. She stood up, panting from her battle, and beginning to cough. The flames were still thick around her, and taking oxygen away with every second. Acting quickly, Alice drew the Ice Wand and fired it at the flames, driving them back enough for her to leap from the center of the circle.

Just as she did so, the Jabberwocky staggered through with Alice Kingsleigh clinging tightly to its neck. The monster shook its head back and forth, trying to dislodge the girl from his throat, but she held on tightly. Alice Liddell backed away, and suddenly felt something in her apron pocket. She took it out and found a pair of vials, filled with a rather familiar red liquid. "Alice!" she called, throwing one of the vials to her. Alice Kingsleigh caught it with a rather confused look, and jerked back as the vial suddenly sprayed her in the face. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling a sudden surge of power and adreneline course through her body. Letting out a small moan, then a loud roar, she opened her eyes to find that she'd changed. Her pale skin was now a bright blood red, and horns had sprouted from her head. Her fingernails had grown into huge claws. Alice didn't have time to wonder what had happened, for the Jabberwocky was now attacking her again. It had been temporary frozen, due to Alice Liddell's pocketwatch.

Alice looked over to see that her companion had gone about a similar change. Suddenly feeling the power and rage of this new form. She roared, pouncing on the Jabberwocky's head and beginning to stab at its eyes with her new claws. The monster howled in agony, trying to shake her off again as its eyes were clawed out. Below, Alice Liddell drew the jacks and threw them at the Jabberwocky, hoping to distract it enough so that Alice Kingsleigh could get a good shot in. However, the Jabberwocky managed to shake the Champion off, and she was thrown into the air, holding the Vorpal Sword aloft. For a brief moment, she was silouetted against the sky, expertly holding the Sword and realizing in an instant what she must do. Alice roared and bought the sword down hard onto the Jabberwocky's neck. Its head was instantly severed, and rolled away to the edge of the battlefield. Panting, Alice Kingsleigh felt the effects of the potion wear off, and looked to Alice Liddell. "What _was_ that?"

Alice smirked. "Ragebox," she said simply.

Before either girl could continue, a cold, cruel laugh echoed behind them. They whirled, finding themselves face to face with the Queen of Hearts, who loomed menacingly over them. Alice Liddell took a step backward, her eyes widening slightly in fear. Drawing the Vorpal Sword, Alice Kingsleigh definatly stared the Queen in the eye, trying to mask her fear with bravery. Taking some of the bravery from her companion, Alice Liddell pointed the Vorpal Blade at the Queen. "So, you've come back, have you?" she spat, her eyes sudenly blazing.

The Queen laughed coldly again. "You foolish girl. You act as though you can defeat me with that pretty little knife. Deep down, you know you can't." Her tentacles writhed around the two girls, surrounding them.

"We've killed both of your little pets," Alice Kingsleigh snapped, gesturing to the body of the Jabberwocky, and the exploded remains of the Jabberwock. "Why should you be any different?"

The Queen didn't reply, only raised on of her tentacles. Immedialty, Alice Liddell was thrown into the air and bought down hard on the stone Chessfield. She let out a cry of pain, coughing up blood. With a growl, Alice Kingsleigh charged forward, chopping off a cluster of tentacles. The Queen howled in agony, turned her attention on the Champion. "And _you_! Deserter of Underland! Why you were welcomed back here with open arms, I'll never understand." Now, Alice Kingsleigh was thrown backward into a column. She landed with a yell of pain, falling limp onto the ground.

"No!" Alice Liddell watched in horror as her companion was thrown across the Chessfield. The Queen of Hearts smirked, and laughed cruelly. "You see? Another of your friends is hurt, all because of you. You truely are cursed, aren't you?"

Alice whirled on the Queen, fire in her eyes. Without a word to her, she leapt to one of the Queen's tentacles, holding tightly as it writhed around, trying to throw her off. Another tentacle tried to knock her off, but she only leapt to that one. Now, she was as close as she could be the to Queen's head. Leaping into the air, she drew the shining Vorpal Blade, aiming straight for the Queen's neck. "Off with _your_ head!" she screamed, bringing the Blade across her throat. Her head toppled off her neck, and the body fell, while Alice landed catlike on her feet.

As Alice's voice echoed around, Card Guards and Chessmen alike ceased fighting to watch as the Queen's body crumpled to the ground. "Kill her!" Iracebeth howled, red in the face and pointing her sceptar at Alice Liddell. With a screech, Gryphon leap in front of Alice, his cold, golden eyes challenging anyone to try and cause her harm. Proudly, Mirana stepped forward, glaring at Iracebeth, who was currently being restrained by two Chessmen.

"Iracebeth of Crims," Her tone was clipped, short. "Twice now you have commited crimes worthy of death. You are extremely lucky my vows are in place, or I would have you executed on the spot." It was now glaringly obvious that all compassion for her sister was gone. "And so, you shall be kept in Marmoreal's dungeoun from now until the end of Underland. Release the crown."

One of the Chessmen took the crown from Iracebeth's head, presenting it to its rightful owner. Mirana let out a sigh as the crown was placed on her head, and turned, only to see Stayne lying on the ground, wounded and subdued, with Tarrant standing over him, his eyes blazing amber. "Ai thought ye'd want teh deal with this yerself, yer Majesty," he growled, his Outlandish accent showing itself.

Mirana narrowed her eyes. "Place him in Iracebeth's cell." The Queen and Knave were dragged off, and the Queen glided towards Alice Kingsleigh, who was still lying unconcious beside the pillar. Alice Liddell followed, looking somewhat concerned.

"Will she...?" Alice asked, watching Mirana take a small vial seemingly out of nowhere. The Queen nodded, holding the vial to Alice Kingsleigh's lips. Seconds after the liquid passed into her mouth, Alice stirred, opening her eyes and looking around. "M...Mirana? Alice?"

"Alice!" Tarrant suddenly ran forward, his voice back to its normal lisp. "Are you alright?"

"I-I think so..." Alice said, letting Tarrant help her to her feet. Already her wounds were beginning to feel less and less painful. "What happened?"

Alice Liddell smirked. "We won."

"Good." Feeling a strange sense of deja vu, Alice Kingsleigh watched as Mirana glided towards the decapitated Jabberwocky, a pair of vials in her hand. Filling both, the Queen approached the two girls, handing them each a vial.

"The blood of the Jabberwocky," she said, quietly. "It shall send you both home, if that is what you so desire."

Immediatly, Alice Liddell handed the vial back to Mirana, shaking her head. "I can't go back, not now." she said, looking up at the Queen. "There's nothing back there for me...and besides, my...er...mental state might improve if I stay."

Alice Kingsleigh raised an eyebrow. "Staying _here_ will improve your mental state?"

"Well, I'm saner here than I ever was in London," Alice snapped back.

Mirana smiled. "And you, Alice?"

Alice took the vial, thinking carefully. She had to go back, that she knew. Running away from problems never solved anything, especially running off to a land like this. And yet, Alice couldn't shake the feeling that she was doing something wrong. She looked over her shoulder at Alice Liddell, and the rest of the Wonderland and Underland residents. Walking over to the girl she'd been through so much with, Alice placed a hand on her arm.

"Take care of yourself, won't you, Alice?" She asked quietly, smiling at her friend.

Caught off guard, Alice nodded, shakily returning her smile. "I will. And I...I won't forget you, Alice."

Backing away, Alice uncapped the vial of Jabberwocky blood. "Fairfarren, all," she said, her voice breaking as she tried to keep her composure.

"Alice, wait!"

Alice whirled, finding Tarrant behind her. His eyes were dark blue with sorrow now, and his entire form seemed to be wilting. "You...you could stay," he whispered.

Again, that sense of deja vu washed over here. "What an idea," she said quietly, repeating what she'd said the last time she'd left. "A crazy, mad, wonderful, _impossible_ idea."

Tarrant looked at the ground, knowing what was coming next. His eyes closed, and he could feel them turning the amber-yellow color of his madness. Behind Alice, the others seemed to know as well, for even Alice Liddell was looking rather sorrowful.

However, Alice suddenly seemed to brighten now. Holding out her hand, she released her hold on the vial, letting it smash on the ground. Purple blood stained the stone ground of the battlefield.

"But, of course, I _am_ in the practice of believing in six impossible things before breakfast," she smiled, walking forward to place her hand on Tarrant's cheek. He lifted his own hand to hold Alice's there, as if she might disappear if he didn't hold onto her. "One, there is a place called Underland, and a place called Wonderland. Two, these two places have combined to make one Wonderland. Three, this place is my new home. Four," Here, she turned to look at Alice Liddell and smiled. "There is another girl called Alice, who knows of Wonderland, and helped me to return. Five, the best people truely are mad," With another smile for her friend, Alice turned back to Tarrant and leaned in close. "Six...I fell in love with a mad hatter." And with that, Alice pressed her lips to the Hatter's, as cheers erupted from the gathered crowd. Alice Liddell allowed herself a small smile, watching the two together.

With a laugh, Tarrant swept Alice off the ground and spun her around. Her laughter joined his as they embraced and kissed again.

"Well, my dear," Tarrant smiled, brushing a few curls out of Alice's face. "I believe this calls for a celebration."

"A tea party, perhaps?" Alice suggested, with a grin.

"My thoughts exactly!" the Hatter turned to Alice Liddell. "Lady Liddell, if you would join us?"

Alice hesitated for a moment, before nodding. "Of course." She turned and gestured for the rest of her friends to accompany her.

" 'ey!" Mallymkun's voice rang out from the crowd. "W'at 'bout us?" The Dormouse emerged from the masses with Thackery behind her, still wielding his trusty ladel.

"Oh yes, Mally!" Tarrant knelt and allowed the tiny creature to climb onto his hat. He then offered his arm to Alice Kingsleigh with a flourish. She giggled, took it, and together, they walked towards the tea table, ready to being their mad tea party.

It was the first of many, many to come.


End file.
